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Speakers from Design Within Reach and Tiffany & Co. to speak at the Mint about "World's Fairs" next week

October 31, 2013

Charlotte Studio to Present on “Timeless Modernism;” Archivist to Discuss “Tiffany at the World's Fairs"

Two world-class experts will visit Mint Museum Uptown next week to illuminate the excitement behind World’s Fairs – events that debuted new items ranging from hot dogs and ice cream to premier decorative arts in the days before the Internet and electronic media allowed the sharing of new ideas.

The public is invited to register for exciting presentations from the Design Within Reach studio – whose staffers are experts on the “timeless modernism” of furniture designs which premiered as early as the World’s Fairs of the 1930s and remain popular today ­– and the national archivist from Tiffany & Co., who will be visiting from New York to present about the jeweler’s rich history of bringing its designs to World’s Fairs. Registration is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings, by visiting the front desks of either of The Mint Museum’s two locations, or by calling 704.337.2107.

Leading the discussion is Kari Woldum, Vice President of Merchandising at Design Within Reach, where she manages the merchandising and product development departments. Leveraging her passion for design and modernism, her role at DWR has spanned the entire assortment, from sofas and beds to floor coverings and dining chairs. Woldum is responsible for developing and curating the full product line. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder and spent some years in magazine publishing before discovering her true passion: seeking out the best in authentic modern design.

Next Sunday, November 10, Tiffany & Co. Archivist Annamarie V. Sandecki will speak in the Duke Auditorium at 3 p.m. on “Tiffany at the World’s Fairs.” The lecture is free to Mint members and college students with valid ID, but requires general museum admission for non-members ($10 general adult admission, plus an optional additional $10 to visit the Inventing the Modern World exhibition before or after the talk). The Tiffany & Co. Archives preserve, maintain, and make available materials relating to the history of Tiffany as a jeweler and silversmith. Sandecki also administers a collection of hundreds of Tiffany objects spanning the company’s history, and is responsible for the acquisition of additional Tiffany designs through auctions and estate sales.

Sandecki received her bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Delaware, and continued her education in the museum administration masters program at New York University. She is a member of American Association of Museums, the Society of Jewelry Historians and the New York Silver Society.

The Inventing the Modern World exhibition contains several Tiffany & Co. designs, including a priceless corsage ornament from 1900 made from Montana sapphires, diamonds, and platinum. The exhibition was organized by the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, and traveled to the New Orleans Museum of Art before making its final stop at the Mint. So, the Mint is the final place anywhere in the world for the public to see the approximately 200 objects shown during the major World’s Fairs from 1851 to 1939, many of which had never before left their home countries, all under one roof. Major support for this exhibition was provided by Wells Fargo, the Windgate Charitable Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition is brought to Charlotte through generous support from Duke Energy, Novant Health, Rodgers Builders, and the Southern Christmas Show.

Both events will occur at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte.